Zen

Gosa hoyen used to say:

'When people ask me what zen is like i tell them this story:'

Noticing that his father was growing old, the son of a burglar

Asked his father to teach him the trade so that he could carry

On the family business after his father had retired.

The father agreed, and that night they broke into a house

Together.

Opening a large chest the father told his son to go in _ and pick

Out the clothing. As soon as the boy was inside, the father

Locked the chest and then made a lot of noise so that the

Whole house was aroused. Then he slipped quietly away.

Locked inside the chest the boy was angry, terrified, and

Puzzled as to how he was going to get out. Then an idea

Flashed to him -- he made a noise like a cat.

The family told a maid to take a candle and examine the chest.

When the lid was unlocked the boy jumped out, blew out the

Candle, pushed his way past the astonished maid, and ran out.

The people ran after him.

Noticing a well by the side of the road the boy threw in a

Large stone, then hid in the darkness. The pursuers gathered

Around the well trying to see the burglar drowning himself.

When the boy got home he was very angry at his father and he

Tried to tell him the story; but the father said: 'don't bother

To tell me the details, you are here -- you have learned the

Art.'